


Summer Nights

by Capeless_AntiHero



Series: Phan Drabbles [1]
Category: Dan Howell - Fandom, Phan, Phil Lester - Fandom
Genre: Boys just being in love, Dan is anxious?, Fluff, Friendship, M/M, Phan - Freeform, SO MUCH FLUFF, Sleepless nights, hand holding, happiness, phil is comforting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-29
Updated: 2018-05-29
Packaged: 2019-05-15 07:26:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14786067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Capeless_AntiHero/pseuds/Capeless_AntiHero
Summary: When they first started living together, Dan was always worried that his sleep schedule, or lack thereof, would bother his Flatmate. He would always spend hours a night wondering his room, running his fingers over the small nick-nacks that settled on his dresser, thinking of the future, of how pointless it was and the darkness that would curl in his heart and scream at him how meaningless it all was. When he first brought it up to Phil after a week of staying together it seemed as if the other viewed his night pacing not as a bothersome habit but comforting.





	Summer Nights

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first ever Phan work! Please be polite with criticisms and opinions. This is my own version of ideas.  
> Comments and reviews are welcomed!  
> Also this is a gift to my friend Dallas who listens to my Phan ideas and draws amazing art.

_**'I know that it's not true, but my heart still believes that the moon shines for me and you.' -Anonymous** _

* * *

  
  
        When they first started living together, Dan was always worried that his sleep schedule, or lack thereof, would bother his Flatmate. He would always spend hours a night wandering his room, running his fingers over the small nick-nacks that settled on his dresser, thinking of the future, of how pointless it was and the darkness that would curl in his heart and scream at him how meaningless it all was. When he first brought it up to Phil after a week of staying together it seemed as if the other viewed his nights of pacing not as a bothersome habit but comforting.  
        "I don't really mind it that much," Phil said as he folds himself onto the sofa, their sofa, crossing his legs under him and lifting the coffee cup held in his pale fingers higher to his nose to take a small breath of the warm scent. "Most nights I don't notice it, and if I do it's comforting to know that I am not alone."  
        The other man would then flash his soft early morning smile at his friend. The type of smile only ever used between the two of them in the early morning light of their own living room. It was the type of smile that Dan would spend months attempting to convince himself he wasn't in love with.  
        Feeling more comfortable with his small habit, Dan spent his nights walking through the area of his bedroom again and again. He would sometimes travel from his room, out through the hall, and into the living room before stopping in the middle of the room and just listens to the sounds around him. It was comforting to look around and take in the place that was theirs, no longer just Dan's or Phil's but instead Dan-and-Phil's.   
        It was one of those nights when Phil started to join him.

* * *

  
        The night was warm, just the end of summer, the July heat still sinking down into the town. The air was heavy with humidity and there was only a small breeze slipping through the open window in the living room allowing a small wave of relief to sweep over Dan's clammy skin. With a weak hand he reached up pushing the fringe of hair from off his forehead, a little annoyed at the curls that started to seep into the brunet mess. He wasn't really focusing on much instead just standing in front of the window with his eyes squinted closed. It was then that the sound of footsteps behind him drew him from his nighttime thoughts.  
        "Couldn't sleep huh?" Phil whispered out from the hallway, causing the other man to jump a bit and turn from the window to blink at him.  
        Phil was pretty sleep rumpled, Dan noticed right off. His hair was settled into odd angles against his head, proof that he slept on his side religiously, while he was squinting at his friend, the lack of glasses and contacts showing he had just slipped from bed. Dan couldn't help but crack a small smile at the sight of his wrinkled grey t-shirt, the one with a stretched collar that showed a little too much collarbone, and his old black and blue shorts that probably should have been thrown out after they moved but Phil was a bit of a clothing hoarder.  
        Reaching up to smooth his own hair again, he hums out, "Too hot for me to get comfortable. Can't really get a good breeze in my room," he shrugs simply leaning back against the window ledge tipping his head back as the breeze once again brushes against his back.  
        His flatmate chuckles in response, yawning loudly before walking fully into their living room, over to the couch and falls into it, stretching out his long legs in front of him before allowing a breath to pass his lips and then allows his body to curl up onto the plush seat. "Just the heat? No crisis on your mind tonight?"  
        "There's always a crisis on my mind."  
        "I know," Phil pauses seeming to gather his thoughts allowing Dan to stare at him again. He silently thanks the stars that from where he is standing his face is covered by the shadows, allowing him the ability to watch the other without his questioning eyes. "Do you want to talk about it?"  
        Dan blinks slowly, lips pulling down in a thoughtful pout as he scratches the back of his neck before dropping his arm again. "It's nothing different than normal, just the thought of the future, how pointless human life is, you know... the usual," he rolls his eyes again but allows a smile to grace his face.  
        "Should have known," Phil laughs waving a hand vaguely at Dan, eyes dancing teasingly and voice full of echoing laughter.  
        "I'm hurt that you would have guessed something else."  
        "Don't be dramatic Daniel, I know you like to change up your crises every so often."  
        Dan holds up his hands in a silent gesture of defeat and their laughter fills the room around them before settling into a comforting silence. The silence isn't strange like it would seem to any outsider, instead it's filled with shared words that don't need to pass their lips to be heard.  
        Phil seems to say with the curve of his lips and the way he presses his toes into the carpet, ' _I am here, you can talk to me_.'  
        Dan's own tired eyes and breaths seem to whisper back, ' _I know, thank you, it's going to be fine_.'  
        Together they allow the minutes to pass in comfortable silence, neither finding the need to say anything and the only disturbing sound being the breeze ruffling the items of the room each time it rushes through the open window. After what seems like hours, which in reality couldn't be longer than 10 minutes, Dan clears his throat gently, pushing off from the window and stepping toward Phil, "Okay... I think I am ready to sleep now."  
        Phil smiles softly as he nods his head. He reaches out a hand to the other, silently asking for help off the sofa, which Dan quickly obliges, curling their sweaty palms together giving the other a small tug off the seat so they are now standing facing each other. They are closer than anyone with the sense of personal space would find appropriate, both almost sharing breaths and neither pushing to drop the others hand.   
        After a minute of just looking, Dan mentally cataloguing all the differences of his friend since they moved in together a few years ago (the soft smell of vanilla that curls around him from their shared love of the candles, the crinkles by his eyes that have deepend), Dan has to glance away and focus his eyes on the darkened hallway behind Phil's right shoulder. He loosens his grip giving the other a chance to remove his hand, to which he doesn't do. Neither drops the hold, their fingers now just lightly gripped together in the hot summer night.  
        Phil smiles again, his sleepy smile this time, it crinkles his eyes slightly and his lips curl up a small amount, nothing like his fully awake smiles, "Okay then, let's head to bed." Together the two move in sync, that can only be brought about by years of cohabitation, toward their rooms. The quiet between them shared again as they move. Together each man takes a turn squeezing the others hand gently, as if once again passing a small bit of conversation between them.   
        Phil's room comes first in the hallway. The door is already wide open and a quick glance in can show the wrinkled blankets and the low hum of the small desk fan is all that stands out. Slowly Dan allows the other's hand to slip through his own, noting that his hand feels colder than before, and not just because of the lack of extra sweat. He ducks his head a bit, not really wishing to say good night but also not wanting to keep the other up any further. Next to him Phil lets out a small breath stepping forward into his doorway and turning to face his friend. His face is once again a cloud of thoughtfulness.  
        Dan doesn't move, his lips parting to speak before his friend beats him to it, "Good night Dan." His voice is low, rough even, like he hadn't used it in weeks, a small shiver travels up Dan's spine.  
        "G'night Phil," his own words as a mumble of a mess, caught somewhere in his throat, whether from the summer heat or the pounding of his heart. he doesn't know.  
        Phil flashes him another smile before stepping back grabbing his door and slowly shutting it, the click is what finally brings Dan back to himself. He steps back reaching out to press a palm against the hallway wall before shaking his head. Breathing out a slow breath, he forces himself to move forward back toward his room. Suddenly the summer heat doesn't seem so bad to him anymore as he enters the room and dropping onto bed face first. He reaches out and curls his fingers into the comfortable with one hand while the other grips the edge of his pillow. He smiles into it eyes closed and body relaxed remembering the heat of Phil's hand in his own, and the fact that the other didn't pull away.  
        He grins a bit more shifting to curl up onto his side eyes staying closed. The heat of the summer night dulled by the heat in his heart.  
        After that, nights didn't seem like something to stress over, instead he knew after a few minutes Phil would slide out of his room and together they would meet in the living room, their own space, Dan-and-Phil's space, sharing in the warmth and comfort of each other, and the heat of their own pounding hearts.

**Author's Note:**

> Comment, Share, Kudo


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